System of driving channels for a carriage for transporting airplanes on an airport apron

ABSTRACT

The exemplary embodiments provide a system of selectively moving airplanes on an airport apron. Airplanes are selectively moved from selective parking locations to areas adjacent to take-off locations such as runways. Airplanes may also be selectively moved from an area of the apron adjacent to a landing location and/or to a parking location. This may include for example an unloading location, an airport terminal, a servicing location, a fueling location, storage location and/or other suitable location. The exemplary system includes driving channels through which a carriage is selectively moved. The carriage includes a basket for operatively engaging at least one front wheel of selected airplanes for purposes of transporting such airplanes to and between the desired locations.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The exemplary embodiments concern a system of driving channels for acarriage used for transporting airplanes on an airport apron. Airplanesmay be moved from a parking location to a take-off location adjacent arunway, or from a landing location adjacent a runway to a parkinglocation at a terminal, or for example a parking location at a servicinglocation or fueling location.

BACKGROUND

Airplanes generally move on an airport apron, from a parking location toa runway or from a runway to a parking location after landing, undertheir own power, with the engines on. Attempts have been made to developanother system for transporting airplanes on the airport apron from alanding/take-off location to a parking location and vice versa.

An assembly for transporting an airplane on an airport apron from aparking location to a take-off location and from a landing location to aparking location with an airplane's engine off is known from the Polishpatent specification No. PL216097B1. The assembly comprises dockingstations made in a surface of access ways (taxiways) to a runway of anairport. Docking stations are connected to guiding grooves located alongthe route of airplane movement to a parking location. In the dockingstations there are mounted leading mandrels, which are preferablyfastened to the front wheel of the airplane after bringing it to thedocking station. From the main transport route the terminal transportroutes are branched off. Guiding grooves which constitute such routesare covered from the top with pivotable gratings having a segmentedstructure. The pivotable gratings automatically open in front of theleading mandrel moving in the guiding groove. After passage of theleading mandrel, the pivotable gratings close. In places where theguiding grooves change their direction, in places where there are abruptcurves and in junctions of the main transport route to the terminaltransport route, switching devices are installed.

From the Polish patent specification No. PL216097B1 a carriage assemblyis known. The carriage assembly is intended for a system fortransporting airplanes on the airport apron, from a parking location toa runway and from a landing location to a parking location. The systemfor transporting airplanes on the airport apron is formed by guidingchannels. In the guiding channels leading mandrels are movable, saidmandrels being installed in docking stations and hook-mounted to theairplane. The guiding channels are covered from the top by pivotableplates of a segmented structure. The carriage assembly moves in aguiding channel that has a rectangular cross-section, the bottom ofwhich is provided with lower guiding rails and its sidewalls areprovided with side guiding rails and a carriage that constitute spatialconstructions. The carriage construction has a bottom part and sideparts. The carriage is provided with a set of lower ground wheels seatedin the bottom part of the carriage and a set of side ground wheelsseated in both side parts of the carriage. The disclosure of U.S. Pat.No. 9,248,919 which describes many of such features is incorporatedherein by reference in its entirety.

Discussion

The objective of some exemplary embodiments is to develop a system ofdriving channels for a carriage that transports airplanes on the airportapron, in particular from a landing location to a parking location andfrom a parking location to adjacent a take-off location. The system ofchannels is intended to provide easy assembling thereof on an existingairport apron in a fast and safe manner, since it may be implementedstepwise, and causes making inoperative only a small area of the airportapron for the time necessary for installing the system. As a result ofthe use of this exemplary system an airplane may be lighter due to needfor less fuel, more cost-effective in use, and will decrease emission oftoxins into the environment as well as enhance safety during taxing bymeans of automatic control systems that control airplane traffic withinthe airport.

According to an exemplary embodiment, a carriage assembly is intendedfor a system for transporting airplanes on the airport apron, from aparking location to a runway and from a landing location to a parkinglocation. The exemplary system for transporting airplanes on the airportapron is formed by guiding channels. In the guiding channels leadingmandrels are movable. The mandrels are installed in docking stations andhook-mounted to the airplane, and the guiding channels are covered fromthe top by pivotable plates of a segmented structure.

According to an exemplary embodiment, a system of driving channels isprovided for a carriage for transporting airplanes on the airport apron.The carriage includes an actuator or a mandrel with a basket seatedthereon. The carriage is movable in the channels which are arranged intaxi routes from at least one airplane landing location to at least oneparking location and from at least one parking location to at least onetake-off location adjacent to a runway. Exemplary arrangements includechannels formed by adjacent channel segments. The channel segments aredepressed and extend downward in the airport apron so that their topsurface and the opening thereof and associated cover plates aregenerally flush with the surface of the airport apron.

In exemplary arrangements, channel segments comprise straight channelsegments.

In exemplary arrangements, channel segments comprise crossing channelsegments.

In exemplary arrangements, channel segments comprise bifurcating channelsegments.

In exemplary arrangements, channel segments comprise turning (e.g.curved) channel segments.

In exemplary arrangements, the plurality of adjacent channel segmentsdefine elongated driving channels that define taxi transporting routesand terminal transporting routes for airplanes. Such routes may includefor example routes on the airport apron between an area adjacent runwayssuch as landing sites to parking locations adjacent an airport terminal,such as a passenger terminal. The driving channels may also extend fromsuch terminals to areas adjacent to various runways of the airport.Elongated driving channels may also extend to parking locations such asfueling locations, repair locations, storage locations, hangar locationsor other locations to which airplanes may desirably be transportedwithin the airport or similar facility.

In exemplary arrangements, each of the channel segments is provided withat least one driving unit comprising a motor, and a transmission gear,that puts in motion a carriage that transports the airplane. The motormay be for example, an electric, pneumatic, hydraulic or combustionmotor, and said transmission gear may include for example, one or moreof a friction gear or roller, toothed gear, tension gear such as a wirerope or cable, chain gear such as a drive chain, belt or band or similarmoving member, transmission, shaft gear such as a worm gear. In someexemplary arrangements, the driving unit comprises a magnetic drive.

Also, channel segments along their entire length are provided at theirupper opening a surface including movable plates of a segmentedstructure. The plates are selectively openable when necessary such as toretract a portion of a wheel engaging basket into the upper opening.

In some exemplary arrangements, the movable plates are positioned whenin a closed position to provide an open elongated slot. An actuatorattached to the transporting carriage is movable along and within theslot. The actuator may movably support and carry a basket of thetransporting carriage, in which at least one front wheel of the airplanebeing transported is seated and held in engagement.

In some exemplary arrangements, the channel segments along their entirelength are provided at their upper open surface with slidable orpivoting plates of a segmented structure, openable when necessary. In aclosed position a central portion of opposed plates abound an elongatedslot in which at least one actuator attached to the transportingcarriage is movable. The actuators support a basket of the transportingcarriage, in which the at least one wheel of the airplane beingtransported is/are seated.

In exemplary systems, activating and stopping of the individual motorsand transmission gears associated with the channel segments thattransport airplanes are controlled fully automatically by one or morecontrol systems. The systems are monitored by the ground personnel ofthe airport, preferably in cooperation with the pilot of the airplane.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows an exemplary airport apron with driving channels arrangedthereon along with airplanes being transported, in a top view;

FIG. 2 shows an exemplary carriage in a guiding channel segment with abasket on which at least one wheel of the airplane rides duringtransport;

FIG. 3 shows the airport apron with a driving channel covered by movableplates that bound an elongated slot;

FIG. 4 shows a turning (curved) channel segment:

FIG. 5 shows crossing channel segments;

FIG. 6 shows a straight channel segment;

FIG. 7 shows a straight channel segment;

FIG. 8 shows a channel segment in cross-section;

FIG. 9 shows an airport apron with some open pivotable plates;

FIG. 10 shows a part of an airport with crossing driving channels; and

FIG. 11 shows a straight channel segment in cross-section.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1, is an airport intended fortaking-off and landing airplanes 3. The airport has an airport apron 4that extends adjacent to take-off/landing locations as well as todefined parking locations for airplanes 3. From such take-off/landinglocation of an airplane 3 to a parking location, the airplane 3 has tomove on the airport apron 4. For this purpose driving channels 1 areformed in the airport apron 4, as schematically presented in FIG. 1.

In an exemplary driving channel 1 formed in the airport apron 4 atransporting carriage 2 is movable. The carriage has at least onecarriage actuator 15. A basket 16 is operatively attached to thecarriage and the actuator. The basket is configured so at least onewheel 17 of an airplane 3 may be positioned and engaged therewith, asshown in FIG. 2, FIG. 8, and FIG. 11. In this embodiment, on the basket16 of the transporting carriage 2 the front wheel of the plane 3 may bepositioned and held in engaged relation. Of course, the term front wheel17 of the airplane 3 also includes a front wheel assembly that maycomprise multiple wheels, for example twin wheels. An exemplaryembodiment of the at least one actuator may include movement devicessuch as hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders, electrical motor driven strutsor other components that are selectively operable to move the basketgenerally vertically up or down relative to the carriage. It shouldfurther be understood that while in the exemplary arrangement the basketshown is configured to operatively engage at least one front wheel ofthe airplane by having the wheel positioned therein, in other exemplaryembodiments the basket may include different structures. These mayinclude, for example, engaging structures that operatively engage thewheels by engaging other wheel portions or portions of the landing gearto which the wheels are attached so as to selectively engage suchstructures such that they can be moved with the carriage, thereby movingthe airplane.

FIG. 2 shows schematically a wheel 17 of an airplane 3 seated on anexemplary basket 16 of a transporting carriage 2 located within adriving channel 1. The carriage structure within the channel segment isnot visible during movement of the transporting carriage 2 within thedriving channel 1. The exemplary driving channel 1 is usually coveredwith segmented movable plates 13. In some arrangements plates may bemovable by being pivoted upward, as shown in FIG. 9, or movable slidablyaside so as to open portions of the upper opening of the driving channel1, as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 8. In exemplary embodiments, the channelsegments may include features like those described in U.S. Pat. No.9,248,919 which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

The exemplary driving channel 1, within which the transporting carriage2 is moved for transporting airplanes 3 from a take-off/landing locationto a parking location, has to be routed in a way so as to enablemovement of the airplane 3 between these desired locations. Thereforethe driving channel covers a considerable part of the airport apron 4which involves certain problems during laying the transporting channel 1on the existing airports and, at a lesser extent, on airports underconstruction.

In order to ensure efficient installation of the driving channel 1, aswell as enabling stepwise construction thereof, the exemplary drivingchannel 1 is formed of channel segments 5. Such channel segmentsconstitute lengths of the driving channel 1 being built. Exemplarychannel segments 5 are shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 4, FIG. 5, FIG. 6, FIG. 7as well as in FIG. 8 and FIG. 11.

Due to the fact that the driving channel 1 may be routed along a pathwith curved turns, bifurcations (e.g. branching from a single channel tomultiple channels or combining multiple channels to converge into asingle channel) and crossings, channel segments 5 have suchconfigurations to allow for such arrangements. This is why the exemplarysystem of driving channels 1 for a carriage 2 that transports airplanes3 on the airport apron 4 comprises straight segments 6, shown in FIG. 6and FIG. 7, crossing segments 7, shown in FIG. 5, turning segments 9,shown in FIG. 4, and bifurcating segments. In exemplary arrangements,such channel segments are arranged in adjacent relation such that thecarriage is movable from one channel segment to another channel segmentto control the movement of the carriage so as to move the attachedairplane along the driving channel between the locations as may bedesired for the current circumstances of the airplane.

The exemplary driving channel 1 is built on the airport apron 4 bydigging out a suitable trench in the ground for each subsequent channelsegment 5. Such segments may be, according to the particular need, astraight segment 6, a crossing segment at a point where differentlengths of the driving channel 1 are crossed, a bifurcating segment at apoint where a possibility to select the further course of the drivingchannel 1 is intended, and turning segments 9 for which a variedcurvature of the turn may be provided. Of course differentconfigurations for channel segments are possible depending on the needsand configuration of the particular driving channel through whichaircraft are moved to desired locations.

In the trench dug out in the airport apron 4 a channel segment islocated in a manner so that the top surface of the channel segment 5 isgenerally flush with the surface of the airport apron 4. As can beappreciated, in exemplary arrangements the channel segment includes anupper opening. The upper opening may be selectively closed by themovable plates that are operatively attached to the channel segment. Themovable plates are movable to open the upper opening so as to enableaccess to the interior area of the channel segment. Normally the movableplates are in a closed position, generally closing the upper opening ofthe channel segment. In this manner a level surface is obtained that inan exemplary arrangement has a narrow elongated slot 14 only. In theexemplary arrangement an elongated slot is created between the movableplates 13 in their closed position. Rollers may be included on thesurfaces of the plates, bounding the slot to facilitate movement of anactuator structure therein. The slot 14 formed by the top plates of thechannel segment 5 does not impede the use of the airport apron 4 withthe driving channel 1 when compared to an airport apron 4 without such achannel. With the exemplary system the airport apron may be also used inthe same way as it was used before the driving channel was installed. Noproblems are encountered when moving other vehicles on the airport apron4 on or adjacent to the movable plates in the closed position.

As shown, in an exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4, FIG. 5, FIG.6, FIG. 7, FIG. 8 and FIG. 11, each channel segment 5, either a straightone 6, a crossing one 7, a turning one 9 or a bifurcating one, isprovided with at least one driving unit 10 that enables movement of thetransporting carriage 2 inside and in guided relation with the interiorof the channel segment 5. In exemplary arrangements, each channelsegment 5 may be independent relative to other channel segments 5 withregard to movement of the transporting carriage 2. The guidingstructures such as guide rails and wheels like those mentioned in theincorporated disclosure may be included in the interior of each channelsegment. Such structures may be included in aligned relation in adjacentchannel segments so as to form a continuous guiding structure. As aresult, the carriage is movable from one channel segment to another inguided relation in the interior of each respective channel segment.

Exemplary channel segments 5 may comprise more than one driving unit 10.For crossing segments 7 or bifurcating segments multiple driving unitsmay be necessary, while generally for straight segments and turningsegments, more than one driving unit is not necessary.

Each exemplary driving unit 10 comprises a motor 11 in operativeconnection with at least one transmission gear 12. In the exemplaryembodiments shown in the drawings, in driving units 10 a motor 11 isused which may include an electric motor. In other exemplary embodimentsa motor 11 may be used which is a pneumatic motor, combustion motor or ahydraulic motor. In other exemplary embodiments, the motor may include amagnetic driving unit.

Exemplary transmission gears 12 may include for example one or moremoving members such as belts. Such transmission gears may also oralternatively include a toothed gear, such as one or more cog gears orcog belts. Exemplary transmission gears may also include friction gearssuch as one or more friction rollers. Exemplary transmission gears mayalso include tension gears such as cables, wire ropes or chains. Furtherexemplary transmission gears may include for example, a shaft gear, suchas a worm gear arrangement, that moves a body or similar structureresponsive to rotation thereof. In other exemplary embodiments, thetransmission gear may include one or more magnets which are operable tobe moved via the magnetic drive so as to impart movement to thecarriage.

Further it should be appreciated that in exemplary arrangements channelsegments may include multiple types of transmission gears, each of whichmay operatively engage the carriage so as to selectively move thecarriage in and through the respective channel segment. Of course itshould be understood that these transmission gear types are exemplaryand in other embodiments, other types of transmission gears and motionimparting structures may be utilized for purposes of moving thecarriage.

An exemplary arrangement devices that are operative to move the carriageand which comprise the transmission gears extend within the channelsegments. In some exemplary arrangements, the transmission gearstructures 12 such as belts, magnets, rollers, cables and otherstructures extend laterally between the guide rails which guide themovement of the carriage within the channel segments. For example insome arrangements, belts, cables, chains, rollers or similar structures(which are schematically represented) may be movable between the guiderails and in operative connection with the carriage so as to move thecarriage in the desired manner through the channel segments.Alternatively or in addition, other transmission gear structures such asrollers, gears, belts, etc. may extend in connection with the carriageadjacent side wall portions of the channel segment or other areas so asto impart selective movement thereto. Further in exemplary arrangements,magnets or other suitable structures may be movable within the channelsegment so as to move magnetic components of the carriage selectively asdesired. Of course it should be understood that these transmission gearstructures are exemplary and in other embodiments, other types ofmovement imparting structures and devices may be utilized.

As shown in FIG. 4, FIG. 5, FIG. 6, FIG. 7, FIG. 8 and FIG. 11, adriving unit 10 is located in this exemplary embodiment in side cavitiesof the channel segments 5. In this configuration the driving unit doesnot obstruct the movement of the transporting carriage 2 inside thechannel segment 5 of the driving channel 1.

In some exemplary arrangements not all of the channel segments 5 may beprovided with their own driving units 10. In some cases the drivingmovement may be transmitted from a channel segment 5 provided with adriving unit 10 to a transmission gear or other carriage movingstructures in another channel segment 5 which does not have its owndriving unit 10. This may be done, for example, by having gears, shafts,rollers or other driving structures on one channel segment that includesits own driving unit, engaging driven structures on an adjacent channelsegment so as to provide moving force to the transmission gearstructures of the type utilized thereon for purposes of selectivelymoving the driving carriage. Numerous different approaches may be takenfor providing power transmission from one channel segment to another.

By providing suitably aligned and adjacent channel segments, includingdriving units and suitable transmission gears, the transporting carriage2 is precisely and reliably guided in the driving channel 1.

As can be appreciated in exemplary arrangements a control system may beoperative to selectively position the carriage within a selected segmentof the driving channel so that the basket thereof underlies or ispositioned adjacent to the at least one front wheel of the aircraft. Inexemplary arrangements, the basket or similar structure whichoperatively engages the wheels or landing gear structure may beselectively operative to include movable portions such as a movablebottom portion that can be aligned through operation of one or moreactuators associated with the carriage generally at the same level asthe top flush portion of the plates of the channel segment. In someexemplary arrangements the one or more vertically extending actuatorsmay be operative to initially position the basket such that it ispartially retracted into the upper opening of the channel segmentthrough an open portion created by the movement of adjacent plates to anopen position. Thereafter the basket may be moved through operation ofthe actuator to engage and/or capture the at least one wheel inengagement with the basket. In some exemplary arrangements this may bedone through vertical movement of the basket structure relative to thecarriage so as to elevate the at least one wheel of the airplaneslightly above the level of the apron. Further in other alternativearrangements, the basket may have components or other structures thatare movable so as to operatively engage the airplane by engagement ofthe wheel and/or landing gear associated therewith.

Likewise when an airplane has reached a parking location throughcontrolled movement of the carriage, the airplane may be disengaged fromthe basket. This may be done generally through a manner by which themovable plates are operated to open a portion of the upper opening ofthe channel segment. The one or more actuators associated with thecarriage may be operated to retract at least partially into the upperopening of the channel segment. Also in some exemplary arrangements afloor portion or other component of the basket may be moved so as toposition the at least one front wheel of the aircraft at the same levelas the closed plates such that the airplane may be otherwise movedtherefrom by a tug or other unit, or alternatively the basket may beheld in position until such time as the basket of the carriage isutilized to reengage and again move the airplane. Of course it should beunderstood that these approaches are exemplary and in other embodiments,other approaches may be used.

The exemplary airport apron 4 may be provided with several drivingchannels 1 of the type described in which a plurality of transportingcarriages 2 may be selectively moved to transport airplanes 3 from aparking location to adjacent a take-off location and/or from adjacent alanding location to a parking location.

A system of driving channels 1 for a carriage 2 that transportsairplanes 3 on an airport apron 4 allows for fully automaticallyactivating and stopping the individual motors 11 and transmission gears12 associated with driving units 10 in channel segments 5 included indriving channels 1. Exemplary arrangements of a central computer-basedcontrol system or multiple distributed control systems may be operativeto control the operation of the carriage units and movement ofassociated aircraft engaged therewith for purposes of monitoring thestatus and position of a plurality of aircraft located on the airportapron. For example in exemplary arrangements wireless transceivers maybe utilized in connection with the airplanes and the carriages forpurposes of identifying the locations of each such airplane which issubject to movement or which has been moved to a parking location by anassociated carriage. Further in exemplary arrangements, planned trafficmovements may be calculated through operation of the control system soas to assure that airplanes are efficiently and safely moved and parkedat desired locations for purposes of carrying out the necessaryactivities.

In exemplary arrangements while the automated control system may operateto automatically move the carriage structures in transporting andpositioning airplanes, the exemplary control system may also include auser interface that is capable of enabling ground personnel at theairport to monitor and review current and future actions to be carriedout by the automated system. Such systems may provide for manualoverride or other suitable functions so as to assure that airportmonitoring personnel may avoid any issues that might arise particularlywith aircraft or other vehicles on the airport apron that are notsubject to control by the automated system. Further in exemplaryarrangements, a pilot of an airplane that is being transported throughthe use of the system may also have the capability to provide inputs soas to enable a manual override or other action as may be necessary. Thismay include for example being able to engage an emergency stop of acarriage or disengagement of the airplane from the carriage so as toavoid a collision with another vehicle or other undesirable conditions.Of course these features are exemplary and in other embodiments, otherapproaches may be used.

It is clear that a person skilled in the art is able from the foregoingdescription, to modify and utilize in different ways the system ofdriving channels 1 for a carriage 2 for transporting airplanes 3 on theairport apron 4 and the individual elements or assemblies thereof aspresented in the non-limiting example, without departing from thecontents of the patent claims.

Thus the elements, features and characteristics of the exemplaryembodiments described achieve desirable results, eliminate difficultiesencountered in the use of prior devices and systems, solve problems andattain one or more useful objectives as described herein.

In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity,clarity and understanding. However, no unnecessary limitations are to beimplied therefrom because such terms are used for descriptive purposesand are intended to be broadly construed. Moreover, the descriptions andillustrations given herein are by way of examples and the usefulfeatures are not limited to the exact details shown and described.

Further in the description, words that refer to left/right, top/bottom,up/down or similar terms indicating relative locations of items shallnot be deemed limiting and it is to be understood that exemplaryembodiments can be configured and used in numerous differentorientations.

Having described the features, discoveries and principles of theexemplary embodiments, the manner in which they are constructed,operated and utilized, and the advantages and useful results attained,the new and useful structures, devices, elements, arrangements, parts,combinations, systems, equipment, operations, methods, processes andrelationships are set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:
 1. A method carried out using a carriage that moves relative toan airport apron in guided relation within at least one elongateddriving channel that extends below the airport apron, comprising: (a)moving a basket in operative connection with the carriage upwardrelative to the carriage from a position at least partially below theairport apron to operatively engage at least one wheel of an aircraft;(b) moving the aircraft relative to the airport apron along the at leastone driving channel through movement of the carriage in the at least onedriving channel with the basket operatively engaged with the at leastone wheel.
 2. The method according to claim 1 wherein in (b) theaircraft is moved between a take off or landing location and a parkinglocation.
 3. The method according to claim 2 and further comprising: (c)subsequent to (b) moving the basket downward relative to the carriage toenable the at least one wheel to move out of engagement with the basket.4. The method according to claim 3 wherein in (a) the basket is movedupward by an actuator that is in operative connection with the carriageand the basket, wherein in (c) the basket is moved downward by theactuator.
 5. The method according to claim 1 wherein a plurality ofsegmented plates are movable in operative connection with the drivingchannel, and further comprising: prior to at least a portion of (a)moving a first group of segmented plates in operative connection withthe driving channel between a plate closed position and a plate openposition to open a selected portion of an elongated upper opening of theat least one driving channel, wherein in at least a portion of (a) thebasket moves in the open selected portion.
 6. The method according toclaim 5 and further comprising: prior to at least a portion of (b)moving at least some of the first group of segmented plates to the plateclosed position wherein an elongated slot extends between the plates inthe plate closed position, wherein in (b) the basket moves positionedabove the plurality of segmented plates in the plate closed position. 7.The method according to claim 1 wherein in (a) the basket is movedupward within the at least one driving channel.
 8. A method carried outusing a carriage that moves relative to an airport apron within at leastone elongated driving channel that extends below the airport apron,comprising: (a) moving a floor in operative connection with the carriageupward within the at least one driving channel to operatively engage thefloor and at least one landing gear of an aircraft; (b) moving theaircraft relative to the airport apron along the at least one drivingchannel through movement of the carriage in the at least one drivingchannel with the floor operatively engaged with the at least one landinggear of the aircraft.
 9. The method according to claim 8 and furthercomprising: (c) subsequent to (b) moving the floor downward relative tothe carriage to enable the landing gear of the aircraft to move out ofengagement with the floor.
 10. The method according to claim 8 whereinin (a) the floor moves upward relative to the carriage from below theairport apron.
 11. The method according to claim 8 wherein in (b) theaircraft is moved on the airport apron between a takeoff location or alanding location and a parking location.
 12. A method carried out usinga carriage that moves relative to an airport apron in guided relationwithin at least one elongated driving channel that extends below theairport apron, wherein a plurality of segmented plates are in moveableoperative connection with the at least one elongated driving channel,comprising: (a) moving a first group of segmented plates in operativeconnection with the at least one driving channel from a plate closedposition to a plate open position to open a selected portion of anelongated upper opening of the at least one driving channel, (b) movinga basket in operative connection with the carriage upward relative tothe carriage from a position at least partially below the airport apronto operatively engage at least one wheel of an aircraft, wherein duringat least a portion of basket movement the basket extends in the openselected portion, (c) moving the aircraft relative to the airport apronalong the at least one driving channel through movement of the carriagein the at least one driving channel with the basket operatively engagedwith the at least one wheel.
 13. The method according to claim 12 andfurther comprising: prior to at least a portion of (c) moving the firstgroup of segmented plates to the plate closed position with the basketpositioned above the plurality of segmented plates.
 14. The methodaccording to claim 13 wherein (c) further comprises moving the carriagewithin the at least one driving channel with the actuator extending inan elongated slot that extends between the plurality of segmented platesin the plate closed position, and with the basket positioned above theelongated slot.
 15. The method according to claim 14 and furthercomprising: (d) subsequent to (c) moving the basket downward relative tothe carriage to enable the at least one wheel to move out of engagementwith the basket, prior to at least a portion of (d) moving a secondgroup of segmented plates from the plate closed position to the plateopen position to open a further selected portion of the upper openingwherein in at least a portion of (d) at least a portion of the basketextends in the further selected portion.
 16. The method according toclaim 15 and further comprising: (e) subsequent to (d) moving the basketdownward relative to the carriage into a retracted position in which thebasket extends in the at least one driving channel below the pluralityof segmented plates in the plate closed position.
 17. The methodaccording to claim 16 wherein (c) further comprises operating a drive inoperative connection with the carriage to move the carriage in thedriving channel.
 18. The method according to claim 17 wherein the atleast one driving channel comprises a plurality of channel segments,wherein in (c) the carriage moves through at least one curved channelsegment.
 19. The method according to claim 18 and further comprising:prior to at least a portion of (a) operating the drive to move thecarriage into vertical underlying relation with the at least one wheelof the aircraft.
 20. A method carried out using a carriage that movesrelative to an airport apron within at least one elongated drivingchannel that extends below the airport apron, wherein a plurality ofsegmented plates are in moveable operative connection with the drivingchannel, comprising: (a) moving a first group of segmented plates inoperative connection with the driving channel from a plate closedposition to a plate open position to open a selected portion of anelongated upper opening of the at least one driving channel, (b) movinga floor in operative connection with the carriage upward relative to thecarriage within the at least one driving channel to operatively engagethe floor and at least one landing gear of an aircraft, wherein duringat least a portion of floor movement the floor extends in the openselected portion; (c) moving the aircraft relative to the airport apronalong the at least one driving channel through movement of the carriagein the at least one driving channel with the floor operatively engagedwith the at least one landing gear of the aircraft.
 21. The methodaccording to claim 20 and further comprising: (d) subsequent to (c)moving the floor downward relative to the carriage to enable the landinggear of the aircraft to move out of engagement with the floor, prior toat least a portion of (d) moving a second group of segmented plates fromthe plate closed position to the plate open position to open a furtherselected portion of the upper opening, wherein during at least a portionof (d) the floor extends in the further open selected portion.
 22. Themethod according to claim 21 and further comprising: (e) subsequent to(d) moving the floor downward relative to the carriage into a retractedposition in which the floor extends in the driving channel below theplurality of segmented plates in the plate closed position.